Vending-machine.



PATENTBD FEB. 6, 1906.

A. MERCKBNS. VENDING MACHINE. APPLIUATIGK nun rm. B, 1905 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1908.

Application filed February 3. 1905. Serial Ho. 244.695.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Answer MEnoxENs, a

citizen of the United States, residin atEast Orange, in the county ofEssex an State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement inVending-Machines, is a specification.

My invention relates to vendin -machines, and articularly to that class0 automatic vending-machines in whicha o'oin of predetermineddenomination is inserted through a slot and passes through a coin-testerto such a position in a suitab e ejector that through the interventionof the coin a package or other article to be vended is ejected bytheopsrsvended the coin of predetermined denomination will be returned.My improved vending-maohine will therefore not only eject all devicesother than the coin intended to operate it, but will also deliver thegoods or re-- fund the money to a bone fide vendee.

In carrying out my invention I employ a suitable casing, means 0 eratedthrough the intervention of a coin o nomination for ejecting t epackages to be vended, means for returning the said coin when themachine does not deliver the packa es, and means for ejecting from themee me all articles. inserted other than the coin of predetermineddenomination intended to operate it,. all of which will be hereinaftermore particularly set forth.

In the drawings; Figure 1 is a section and partial elevation of anautomatic vendingma'chine,illustratin my' provements therein. Fig. 2 isan en elevation of the frame in which the coin-tester is mounted. Fig. 3is a section on line a: w of Fig. 1 looking toward the rear end of theframe in which the cointester is mounted, and Fig. 4 is a frontelevetion of the plates forming the coin-chute and the parts associatedtherewith.

0. represents the front board of a suitable casing, which, may be madein any'forrn adapted to contain the mechanism for operat:

' ing the machine and the packages to be vend'edi b is a framepreferably made of metal and of which the following redeterimned de--set in the casing in the requisite position. Within the frame I) Iemploy a coin-tester c, conveniently comprising a fixed plate or member2, a movable plate or member 3 hinged on a rod 4 and normally maintainsin position with itsinner fees in contact with the lower edge of thefixed plate 2 by; means of a spring 5. The lower end of t 6 fixed plate2 is greferably rounded or provided with a longitu inal groove by whichconstruction a coin-passage is provided between said fixed and movableplates. The outer member of the frameh is provided with a suitable slot0' the fixed and movable plates 2 3, respectively, of the coin-tester.The movable plate 3 is provided with an arm 6, extending from the upperfront end of the same, with its lower edge across the up or portionof'the slot 0', so that in inserting t e coin the movable plate 3 isswung aside by the edge of the coin coming in contact with the loweredge of the arm 6. The movable plate 3 is also rovided with an inclinedcontact-arm extending from the lower forward edge of the same, whosefunction will be hereinafter set forth. The coin-tester is alsopreferabl provided with a and any other devices known to the art forarresting a spurious coin or any other device in the coirvtester.

(1 represents a gravity-plate which is pivot ed at 10 to the innersurface of the frame I) in such a position that normally the arm d ofthe gravity-plate is clear of the slot 11 in the inner face of the frameb and in alinernent with the coin-passage between the fixed and movableplates of the coin-tester, the gravitypla te being held in this positionby its arm which normally rests against the inner end of that portion bof the fixed plate which passes through the inner portion of the frame Tas indicated in Fig. 2. The gravit -plate also provided with-a finger (iw 'ch preferably projects at viilglht angles therefrom and whosefunction also be hereinafter set e represents a receptacle adapted tocontain the packages 12 to be vended, which, as is common in machines ofthis class, are soper-imposed in piles within the receptacle 4; and aremaintainsd in ition therein by means of a suitable weig t. f, alsoadaptedto fit within the receptacles. The weight f is provided with aprojection f in such a posiare exhausted.

tion that when thepackages in alineme'nt with the coin-passage betweenmagnet 8, a suitable hinge washer-arrester,

d is

forth.

from the receptacle to a suflicient extent the projection f will contactwith the finger d of the gravity-plate d, and thereb cause the arm (1thereof to be swung in i i'ont of the slot 11 and across the path of thecoin through the coin-tester with its eilgeagainst the stop b asindicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

g is a slidable ejector secured to the inner end of a push-rod h, whoseouter end passes through the front board a. The ejector g is providedwith a slot 13, adapted to receive the coin, and the push-rod h isprovided with a sleeve 14, the said ejector g bein normally held inosition against a stopar h by means 0 a helical spring 15, hearin at oneend against the stop-bar h and at the other end against the sleeve 14,passing within the recessed portion of the same, as indicated, if sodesired.

2' represents a hopper located directly beneath the opening 11 at theend of the passage in the coin-tester, and 16 is a chute leading fromthe hopper 'i to a point directly above the slot 13 in the ejector g andb 1 means of which the coin after passing throu the tester is deliveredto the ejector g. i t

, will be manifest that in this position the coin itself is employed asthe medium by which the lowermost package in the superimposed pile willbe ejected upon the push-rod It being i moved inward.

It represents a eoin-receptac1e, and the upper portion 17 thereof ispreferably utilized as a slide upon which the ejector 9 moves. Thisportion of the coin-receptacle is provided with a slot 18, through whichafter the lowermost package has been removed from the superimposed pilethe coin used in ejecting the same will pass directly through the slot13 in the ejector g and through the slot 18 into the coin-receptacle is.

Z a hopper situated immediately behind the front board a and directlybeneath the coin-tester c. The hopper Z communicates with a chute 19,which is in communication with the chute 20, through which the packagesto be vended are passed, so that articles passing through either of thechutes 19 20 arrive at the same place and from which they may beobtained. The push-rod I1 is preferably provided with an arm m, which issocured at one end in the sleeve 14, fixed on said push-rod andextending upwardly beneath the side of the hopper l and provided .tt itsupper end with a rod 71, extending parn'lel with and immediately behindthe front board a. The rod n is provided with a pin 7', ant. therelation and posit ion of these parts is such that when the rod Itpushed inwardly the pin 1 strikes the inclined contactarn1 7, secured tothe movable plate 3 of the cointester and swings said plate aside.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that l have referred tomy improved apparatus in the singular; but it will be manifest that inany given machine the parts may be duplicated at pleasure withoutdeparting from the nature and spirit of my invention.

In the o eration of the mechanism, assumin that t e receptacle e for thepackages is fil ed, the gravitylate will be insueh a position thatitsarm d will not interfere with the passage of a coin of predetermineddenomination properly inserted throu h the slot 0 in the outer face ofthe frame The coin having passed to its position in the slot 13 of theejector g, the lowermost packa e 12 in the superimposed pile of packageswil be ejected from the pile by the pressure exerted thereon by the coinin movin the push-rod h inwardly, whereupon the pac age passes throu hthe chute 20 and the coin drops through t e slot 18 into thecoin-receptacle. Should, however, the packages beexhausted from thereceptacle e, or nearly so, as shown in the drawings, to such an extentthat the projection f, secured in the weight f, contacts with the fingerd of the gravity-plate, causing the arm d thereof to swing to the dottedposition shown in Fig. 2 across the ath of the coin, the coin will bearrested in t 1e coin-tester in the position shown in Fi 1, whereupon bymoving the rod 7: inwar l the finger i" will strike against the inclinedcontact-arm 7 and swing the movable plate 3 to the position shown indotted lines in Fig. 3, whereupon the coin will drop into the hopper land descend by the chute 19 to that place where otherwise the package tobe vended would have been delivered.

It will be evident that the projection f may be placed in such aposition that there may be as many packages remaining in the ile in thereceptacle e as may be desired; lint in practicethe projection f will beso placed as to cause the coin to be arrested in the coin-tester whenthe machine shows that the rece tacle e is emptied of its aekages. Itwill a so be apparent that shonl it be attempted to operate the machineby means of a spurious coin or other device, which the cointesterarrests in its passage throu h the same, all such spurious coins andother evices having been arrested will fall into the hopper I eitherupon the ush-rod h being moved inwardly or upon t e insertion of anothercoin into the machine, and thereby these Will also I be delivered, bymeans of the chute 19, at the same place where the packages aredelivered when the machine is properly operated.

1 claim as my invention- '1. in an automatic vending-machine, thecombination with a casing, a package-receptacle and a coin-chute, ofdevices for retaining a good coin in said chute and operative only whenthe package-receptacle is empty, a

ush-rod and means actuated upon operating the push-rod to release thecoin from the chute.

iro

2. In an automatic vending-machine, the combination with a casing, 13.package receptacle and a coin-chute, of devices f or retainin a goodcoin in said chute and operative 3 orily when the packageqeceptacle isempty, it push-rod, means actuated upon operating the i push-rod torelease the coin from the chute, and means for refunding the coin. l

3. In an automatic vending-machine, the l, combination with a casing anda receptacle for packages to be vended, of a frame, a plate E fixed insaid frame in an inclined position, a movable plate hinged adjacent tosaid fixed 1 late with an intervening coin-passage, means or retaining acoin between said plates when 1 the receptacle is empty, a ush actuatedupon pushing sai rod for libel-av ing the coin from its position betweensaid l plates, and means for refunding the coin when 1 so liberated, V

4. In an automatic vending-machine, the combination with a casing and areceptacle for packages to be vended, of a frame, a fixed plate mountedin an inclined position within said frame, a movable plate adjacent tosaid fixed plate with an intervening coin-passe e, a gravity-platepivoted in said frame at 519 lower end of the said coin-passage, meansfor closing the coin-passage oysaid gravity plate when thepackage-receptacle is empty, means for liberating the coin from itsposition within the coin-passage and against the said gravity-plate, andmeans for refunding the coin when so liberated.

5. In an automatic vending-machine, the combination with a casing and areceptacle for packages to be vended, of a frame, a fixed plate mountedin an inclined position within said frame, a movable plate adjacent tosaid fixed plate with an intervening coin-passe e, a gravity-platepivoted in said frame at t-.e lower end of the said coin-passe e, aweight adapted to fit within the said pagkagereceptacle, a projection onthe same adapted to engage the said avity-plate to swing the same acrossthe said coin-passage when the machine is empty, and means forliberating the coin from its osition within the coin-passage and againstt c said gravity-plate.

-rod, means s 6. In an automatic vending-machine, the combination with acasing and a receptacle for packages to be vended, of a frame, a platefixed in said frame, a movable plate hinged adiacent to said fixe'dplate with an intervening coin-passage means for retaining a coinbetween said plates when the machine is em ty, an inclined contact-armsecured to sai movable plate, means for moving said movable platethrough the intervention of said inclined contact-arm to liberate thecoin from the coinassage, and means for refunding the coin w on soliberated.

7. In an automatic vending-machine, the combination with a casing and areceptacle for packages to he vended, of a frame, a plate fixed in saidframe, a movable plate hinged adjacent to the said fixed plate with anintervenin coin-passage, a push-rod, means for retaimn the coin betweensaid plates when the mac 'no is empty, an inclined contactarm secured tosaid movable plate, an arm fixed to said ppsh-rod, a rod secured to saidarm, a finger ed in the said rod in such position as to contact with thesaid inclined contact-armwhen the push-rod is moved inwardlv, and meansfor refunding the coin,

8. in an automatic vending-maclnne, the combination with a casing and areceptacle for packages to be vended, of a frame, a plate fixed insaidirame, a movable plate hinged adjacent to the said fixed plate withan inter vening coin-passage, a push-rod, means for retaining the coinbetween said plates when the package-receptacle is empty, an inclinedcontact-arm secure to the said movable plate, an arm fixed to saidpush-rod, a rod secured to said arm, a finger fixed in the said rod insuch position as to contact with the said inclined contact-arm when thepush-rod is moved inwardly, a hop er, and a chute leading therefrom forrefun ing the coin.

Signed by-me this 3d day of February, 1905. i

AUGUST MERCKENS.

Witnesses HARRY EDWARDS,

JUNIUS Pnnnnnron WILSON.

